French ambassador: Israelis suffer from 'anti-Frenchism'

By Aluf Benn

Haaretz

Kislev 27, 5765

The
French ambassador to Israel accused Israelis on Thursday of suffering from
"a mental disorder of anti-Frenchism," sparking protests from the Foreign
Ministry.

"I think there is a neurosis that causes
anti-Frenchism," the ambassador, Gerard Araud, told Army Radio. "This
anti-French neurosis has led to France being so hated in Israel. The
relationship between the two countries is very difficult. You simply love
to hate us."

The deputy director general of the Foreign Ministry's
European desk, Ran Curiel, told the ambassador that his comments were
"unacceptable, outside of diplomatic norms, and do not contribute to the
efforts of France and Israel to improve their relationship."

Araud
said anti-Semitism in France is no different from that in other countries
in Europe, but "Israelis harass us, because we are an easier target." Two
synagogues that were set alight in Europe in June elicited no Israeli
reaction, Araud said, charging that one day later, "when there was some
anti-Semitic graffiti on a Paris street, it made the front page of
Haaretz."

The ambassador also criticized Israeli journalist Yair
Lapid, a writer and satirist for the Maariv newspaper (and son of Shinui
chairman Yosef Lapid). After the death of Palestinian Authority chairman
Yasser Arafat, Lapid wrote that the manner in which France treated the
issue of Arafat's death proved that "the French are shit," Araud said.

The ambassador called such sentiments completely unacceptable,
saying if the French media were to use such language in reference to Jews,
they would be accused of anti-Semitism.

The ambassador also
attacked political satirist Eli Yatzpan for never ceasing to make fun of
France. "Everyone knows that Yatzpan picks on France regularly. He simply
loves to laugh at our expense," Araud said.

The ambassador also
said that Israeli taxi drivers throw passengers out of their cabs as soon
as the drivers discover they're French.

The Israeli "anti-French
neurosis," said Araud, began with the crisis in relations that developed
during the Six-Day War.

"Until 1967 the relationship was close and
it was a love story," said Araud. "In 1967 Israel felt betrayed by the
French embargo [on arms sales to Israel], and since that trauma, Israel
has continued to build the case against France. It is possible to find new
reasons for the hatred, but in essence we are talking about the same
pathology."